Listed below are the approved requirements for the program from the official Academic Programs Catalog.
Students must consult their advisors to learn which specific requirements apply to their degree programs.
Following this section are the requirements as represented in Degree Navigator, MSU's online advising tool. The Degree Navigator section is only available for programs using Degree Navigator for degree certification.

College of Arts and Letters

Department of English

Undergraduate Program

Film Studies

The Bachelor of Arts degree in Film Studies offers students in-depth education in the disciplinary understanding of film as a medium and in the critical analysis of films as interpretable texts. Students will gain an understanding of aspects of cinematic aesthetics, film grammar, the history of film, cultural contexts of film, and theoretical and critical approaches in film studies.

Requirements for the Bachelor of Arts Degree in Film Studies

The University requirements for bachelor’s degrees as described in the Undergraduate Education section of this catalog; 120 credits, including general elective credits, are required for the Bachelor of Arts degree in Film Studies.

The University’s Tier II writing requirement for the Film Studies major is met by completing one of the following courses: Film Studies 334, 400, 434, 435B, 460, 480, or 499. Those courses are referenced in item 3. below.

The requirements of the College of Arts and Letters for the Bachelor of Arts degree.

The following requirements for the major (36 to 40 credits):

a.

All of the following courses (9 credits):

FLM

200

Film Collective

1

FLM

230

Introduction to Film Studies

4

FLM

260

Introduction to Digital Film and Emergent Media

4

b.

All of the following courses (12 credits):

FLM

300

Classical Film and Media Theory

3

FLM

301

History of Film after Midcentury

3

FLM

380

Classical Film and Media Theory

3

FLM

381

Contemporary Film and Media Theory

3

c.

One of the following courses (3 credits):

FLM

450

Studies in Ethnic Film

3

FLM

451

Studies in Postcolonial Cinema

3

FLM

452

Studies in Film, Gender, and Sexuality

3

d.

One of the following capstone courses (3 credits):

FLM

400

Seminar in the History of Film (W)

3

FLM

460

Seminar in Digital Film and Emergent Media (W)

3

FLM

480

Seminar in Film and Media Theory (W)

3

FLM

493

Film Studies Internship

3

e.

Complete 9 to 13 credits in courses from the following:

ENG

231

Film and Literature

4

ENG

478A

Literature, Technology, Representation

3

ENG

478B

Literature and Visual Culture

3

FLM

211

Documentary History and Theory

3

FLM

255

Stars and Directors

3

FLM

311

Introduction to Documentary Production

3

FLM

334

Introduction to Screenwriting (W)

3

FLM

335

Film Directing

3

FLM

336

Aesthetics of Film Editing

3

FLM

337

Topics in Film Form

3

FLM

350

National and Transnational Cinemas

3

FLM

355

Studies in Film Genres

3

FLM

400

Seminar in the History of Film (W)

3

FLM

411

Collaborative Documentary Design and Production (W)

3

FLM

434

Advanced Screenwriting (W)

3

FLM

435A

Creating the Fiction Film I

3

FLM

435B

Creating the Fiction Film II (W)

3

FLM

438

Film Financing, Programming, and Distribution

3

FLM

450

Studies in Ethnic Film

3

FLM

451

Studies in Postcolonial Cinema

3

FLM

452

Studies in Film, Gender, and Sexuality

3

FLM

455

Experimental Film and Media

3

FLM

460

Seminar in Digital Film and Emergent Media (W)

3

FLM

480

Seminar in Film and Media Theory (W)

3

FLM

489H

Senior Honors Independent Project

3

FLM

490

Independent Study

1 to 4

FLM

491

Special Topics in Film Studies

3

FLM

492H

Honors Seminar in Film Studies

3

FLM

493

Film Studies Internship

2 to 4

FLM

499

Senior Thesis Research (W)

1 to 4

LL

250A

Topics in National Cinemas: German Cinema

3

LL

250B

Topics in National Cinemas: East Asian Cinema

3

ROM

355

French, Italian, Portuguese or Spanish Cinema since 1930

4

RUS

250

Russian and Soviet Cinema

3

THR

304

Topics in Acting/Directing II: Acting for the Camera

3

THR

350

Plays as Film

3

Film Studies 450, 451, or 452 may not count towards fulfillment of this requirement if used towards requirement 3. c. above. Film Studies 400, 460, 480, or 493 may not count towards fulfillment of this requirement if used towards requirement 3. d. above.

Degree Requirements from Degree Navigator.

NOTE: Degree Navigator is an advising tool only and should not be viewed as a contract with the student.
Any questions about the requirements should be directed to an academic advisor.

College - Arts and Letters - Open Cognate: 12 credits from Courses in an open cognate. One 300-400 level course of at least 3 credits must be included between the Open Cognate and the Non Arts & Letters Cognate. Both the cognate and the courses must be approved by the student's academic advisor.

College - Arts and Letters - Non Arts and Letters Cognate: 12 credits from Courses in a cognate. One 300-400 level course of at least 3 credits must be included between the Open Cognate and the Non Arts & Letters Cognate. Both the cognate and the courses must be approved by the student's academic advisor.

Requirement 23: College Distribution

College Distribution: 30 credits from courses at the 300 level and above.

Requirement 24: College - Arts and Letters - Second Language

College - Arts and Letters - Second Language: 1 course from a second year foreign language course demonstrating competency in a foreign language.

Requirement 25: Electives

Electives: 0 credits from Electives at Michigan State University and transfer coursework. This number can change based on the credits of the coursework taken to fulfill University, College, and Major requirements. Please contact your academic advisor with any questions.

Requirement 26: University Residency

University Residency: 30 credits from MSU coursework, 27 credits from MSU courses taken after reaching junior standing, 20 credits from courses offered by MSU while admitted to major & 20 of the last 30 credits must be MSU courses. Please see academic advisor.